ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
September 2, 2021
Scripture: Leviticus 1:15-16
The priest will bring it to the altar. He will tear off its head and completely burn it on the altar. Its blood will be drained against the side of the altar. Then the priest will remove its throat along with its contents and throw it by the east side of the altar, into the place for the ashes.
Thought for the Day: Like I said in yesterday’s Etching, this section of Leviticus starts to get gruesome. Why would the dissections of birds be necessary? Does God need these rather violent actions? This is a sacrifice of gratitude, but most of us would rather offer our gratitude by grilling some chicken wings from a chicken that was butchered outside of our field of vision. In recent readings, I have come across another potential explanation. When we do worship with a large group, we use a microphone. When we set the communion table in the Centrum before the flood, we used larger items on the table. Why? It was so people are able to hear and see what is happening. In the ancient world, microphones were not an option, but exaggerated theatrics were. I don’t know for certain, but I’m guessing it doesn’t take much effort to pull out the throat of a pigeon, yet I imagine the priest doing so with large gestures and amplified actions. The priest wanted people to participate, at least visually in what was happening. Though we won’t be sacrificing anything in worship at Cypress Creek Christian Church, I want us to think about the rituals we share in worship. We need to ask ourselves, “Do they engage and teach, and do they also invite and involved everyone?”
Prayer: Teach me, Gracious God, using whatever will captivate my spirit and help instill the message of your love. Amen.
